milk

Information on milk and dairy using Irish Dexter Cattle

“Dairy Breed” Champion Dexter Bull Atlantic Spratt

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Atlantic Spratt was Shown with these Dairy/ Dual-purpose Breeds in 1956!

All Breeds entering the show had to have qualified performace records to compete.

Dexter Cattle put a High Emphasis on Dairy Traits

Dexter Cattle put a high emphasis on dairy traits and beef traits equally. Thoughtful breeders were honing these Irish cattle to excel in both capacities. One of the ways they were doing this, was by selecting bulls from dams with known milk records. Pedigree information is interesting to reflect on when you see repeated names in pedigrees and photos to document what genes might have been passed on from their ancestors. Looking at a bull alone will never tell you anything deeper about his genetics, than what you can evaluate with your eye. A nice-looking bull tells you nothing about what type of milk production his dam might of possessed. Thankfully with photos we can look back on bulls like Atlantic Spratt and see that he had a lot to offer besides just good looks. The fact that Spratt was presented at the show tells us that his dam was qualified by performance records, because it was a requirement to enter the show. Though none of the cows are perfect and much improvements can still be had in generations to come, evaluating them and their records goes to show that they were cows that could surely fill the pail.

Grinstead Toby Sire of Atlantic Spratt

From this photo we can see where Atlantic Spratt got some of his good looks from. His sire was Grinstead Toby, a Reserve Champion Dexter, but to dig deeper I will investigate some of the females in Toby’s pedigree.

Grinstead Trixie the 8th From a Long Line of Doccumented Milkers

Grinstead Trixie 8th Queen of the Dairy Show

This is Grinstead Trixie the 8th. Lady Loder the breeder, was known for only selecting sires out of cows with proven milking records. Though this cow may seem like she has less than perfect attachment at 10 years old(the age in photo), she looks to have a good amount of volume. You will see in the article above, Trixie is “Queen of the Dairy Show” in October 1953 (then 13 years old and winning first prize for 3 running years). She was a top Dexter cow out of cows that were milking at 4 and a half gallons of milk a day. Lady Loder was known to cull hard and keep to a high standard. Trixie the 8th could have had improved udder attachment, but she definitely filled her part as a solid milk cow. Now I shall dig a bit further back in history to give the reader a greater understanding. Let us next consider Grinstead Trixie the second and likewise the original Trixie herself.

Grinstead Trixie the 2nd

The Original Trixie of 1904 Foundation to Grinstead Herd

Just to give a very interesting historical compass to the full impact of the Grinstead Trixie line, let us delve deep into history, back to November 1919 when the original Trixie was being written about. The original Trixie was one of an original 12 cows that were obtained by Lady Lodger. Of those original cows she only kept three, Trixie being one of three top cows. Those 3 cows were chosen for their milking powers. Trixie was born in 1904 and was a foundation cow for the Royal Dublin Society. By 1919 she had produced her 14th calf, proving to be productive and already fairly long lived. What an exceptional cow to start your herd from. This cow was the foundation of Lady Loders Grinstead herd and imprinted her name on the herd for generations to come. Lady Loder in other statements had complained about some of the low quality Dexters that were being sold. Lady Loder may not have started with the best stock, but she culled down to just three cows to build her herd from and only used proven bulls that possessed dairy traits worth passing on to their offspring. She had a focused eye that considered the breed standard when evaluating and considering her Dexters by. Her legacy is one worth being remembered and replicated, showing you do not need much to start out with, but rather have a quest for quality and be willing to cull to obtain it.

Murrell Peach Blossom: Another cow in Spratts line

Murrel Peach Blossom who was likewise related to Atlantic Spratt was a challenge cup winner.

Grinstead Hawk 5th: Another cow in Spratts line

Grinstead Hawk obtained a register of merit for milk production in 1940, won 1st in the milking trails and won the reserve Nutt challenge cup and many more competitions. Though her flat feet and titlted teat may jump out as not quite perfect, there is much to be appriciated in a cow with solid milk production.

Peach Blossom of Claragh : A heifer in Spratts Line

Peach Blossom of Claragh won 2nd place for a cow in milk while competing against mature cows.

In conclusion to this article, I will leave you with this cow Grinstead Watercress, bred by Lady Loder though not directedly related to Spratt. This cow is graceful and well balanced a testament to her breeding. Some may say that she is not deep enough, but for a cow that I believe to be non chondro born in 1920 I’d say she is quite beautiful indeed. I hope this article inspires people, no matter the size of your herd or no matter how long you have been breeding that their is always room for improvement, no matter the current genetics in your herd. In order to truely preserve the wonderful Dexter traits of yesterday we must also be willing to impove our cattle of today.

“Dairy Breed” Champion Dexter Bull Atlantic Spratt Read More »

Historical

LET’S TALK CREAM AND DEXTERS

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Here is an interesting article from a fellow Dexter milker, Michele Parsley. Real facts about how it varies and why. Don’t forget, some of our cream stays behind and never completely separates, making two incredible products, cream and still some pretty creamy milk for drinking or making something else. Celebrate your Dexter milk and cream!

https://www.mountainheritagefarm.com/blog/cream-variation

LET’S TALK CREAM AND DEXTERS Read More »

Milking & Dairy

DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK PART II

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COVID.  It sucked.  No matter what aisle of the plane that you sit in, even if  you just want to stand in the middle, it sucked.  There was tragedy, heart ache and despair.  Some are still recovering.  Some never will.  All that said, it was eye opening for me.  An introvert by nature (though very few of those that meet me will agree with that description), COVID was somewhat of a respite.  It forced, for better or worse, solitude.  For me, it brought peace.  It got me thinking about our world and my place in it.  It was time to start questioning old habits and accepting the norm.  It was time to start doing.  

Where do I start?  As my late Dad would say, at the beginning.  I started to look for property in a rural area.  That was my first mistake.  I didn’t have a solid foundation as to what I wanted to do.  I looked at field, woods, and pastures.  Some had homes, and others did not.  About all of the properties were a good distance from where I lived and some were located in other States.  After becoming exhausted and frustrated, I realized that my search was futile. I needed to establish what I wanted to do and with what animals.  

My initial thought was horses.  My thought is I could breed horses, and/or run a boarding business.  It was my wife, ever the cynic, who asked the first pointed question. “Do you know how to ride a horse?”  

Contrary to popular opinion in my household, I was a seasoned equestrian and rodeo champion.  At least in my mind I dreamed I could be.  That said, I scheduled horse back riding lessons.  While I enjoyed the lessons, and riding, I started to think it was going to take a lot of time and experience to take other people’s horses in and provide appropriate care.  But alas, fate had other plans.  My wife quit asking about trivial things such as my ability to take care of horses and we sold our home and bought a home with horse stables and acreage.  For me, it was heaven.  

Then reality set in.  I remembered what the goal was.  The goal was to raise our own food.  Horses would be welcome, but horse meat will never be in our diet.  

The internet, love it or lump it, is a source of a great deal of information.  I play the game.  In that, I mean, I disregard all the “great” comments, and all the “terrible” comments and seek the middle,  I tried to not seek articles that I favored but cast a wide net looking for neutrality.  Just the facts, ma’am.  What I found intrigued me.  Dexter cattle.  Ideal for beef, milk, and smaller areas of land.  Hearty animals and docile in nature.  Not miniature, but smaller in stature.  Less intimidating for the new and not an animal that has to be considered a pet.  

I compared to different breeds.  I was intrigued by grass fed and milk that many argue is better suited to sensitive stomachs.  Not only for feeding my family, but the potential of feeding others.  I was not looking for marketing gimmicks but trying to fit a niche.  My niche.  I was told finding the acreage was the hardest part of raising cattle.  I can say with 100% certainty, that is a lie.  But I am having so much fun living my dreams with our Dexter cattle.

A little bit about the author for those who have read this article or maybe even the first article and scrolled to the bottom of this article just to see if someone had the guts to admit writing this.  I own and operate a small farm called “Our Yellowstone LLC” in Illinois.  I couldn’t do it alone, but will keep my wife’s name out of it to protect her innocence.  

DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK PART II Read More »

Selling

No Udder, No Cow!

Atlantic Alison Showing off an Exceptional Udder

The old saying “No feet, no cow” is a phrase that denotes the importance of a cow’s ability to walk. Without good feet there can be no cow to stand on them, thus causing peril to the health of the cow. No Udder, no cow could be a similar maximum, denoting the importance of the cow’s udder. Without a good functioning udder, a cow cannot fulfill her role to nourish a calf or humans thus degrading her value as a cow. Not every Dexter needs an udder like Atlantic Alison, but the quality of a Dexter cow is tied up in the function and quality of her udder.

Scale of Points taken from the 1900 English Standard

This scale of points as seen above, is the first scale of points written for Dexter cattle and the most authoritative in breed history. It makes it clear what values can be attributed to a Dexter cow. As you can see udder traits are very important to the Dexter breed. There is no room in the Dexter breed for cows with truly bad udders, as it’s not agreeable to the standard scale of points. So, you see, 40% of a Dexter cows value of points is wrapped up in the quality of her udder, where only 25% goes for her body. That 25% is not just shortness or depth alone but “body, top line, under line, ribs, setting of tail, shortness of leg &c.” The point is cows with good udders are very important to the breed. A cow that lacks valuable udder points would scale very low as a Dexter in general. A cow that is not perfectly short could still score quite high as a Dexter if all other traits were ideal. A short Dexter with a bad udder would easily be beat by a taller Dexter with good conformation and an excellent udder.

No Udder, No Cow! Read More »

Historical

From Freezer Camp to the Milk Pail: Maggie’s Story

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How “Accidental” Breeding Created a Little Black Cull Heifer that Turned into One of the Best Milk Cows in the World…

The year was 2015, and I had never touched a cow before buying one. I had read every book I could find and devoured countless online articles about cattle, but I had absolutely zero real-life cattle experience. Still, I knew one thing for certain: I wanted a milk cow. That single desire was all the motivation I needed to bring home my first Dexter cow, Cassandra, in March of that year.

Cassandra—quickly nicknamed MooMa—was due to calve soon, and I couldn’t bear the thought of her living alone for three months. Cattle are herd animals, after all, and MooMa needed a companion. Our budget was tight, so I bought a wild little black cull heifer named Maggie She wasn’t registered because her dam had been bred by a “steer” that had retained one testicle when he had been banded. Maggie was also A1A1 milk, which at the time was a big deal for us so we had no intention of keeping her long-term. Her future, as far as we were concerned, involved freezer camp.

Maggie arrived already overwhelmed. Shortly before coming to our farm, she had been vaccinated, dehorned, weaned, and then hauled to a new home with complete strangers. By the time she stepped off the trailer, she was terrified. Kevin and I stood watching in horror as Maggie calmly stepped between two strands of hot wire as if they didn’t exist—and just like that, she was gone.

MooMa, older and steadier, began calling for her. Before long, Maggie came trotting back, stepping right between the wires again as though that was perfectly normal. We quickly added a third strand of wire and spent the next week wondering what on earth we had gotten ourselves into.

Maggie wouldn’t let us within fifty feet of her. Her fear seemed contagious, and soon MooMa didn’t trust us either. Time was ticking. I had just three months to turn MooMa into a milk cow. So every day—sometimes multiple times a day—I went out and simply sat in the pasture with them. Cattle are naturally curious. At first, they’d freeze and stare at me, clearly hoping that if they didn’t move, I wouldn’t notice them. But it didn’t take long for them to learn I wasn’t there to hurt them—and that I usually brought treats. Before long, my pasture visits became something all three of us looked forward to.

On June 10, 2015, MooMa gave birth to a little red bull calf we named Liberty. Five days later, I began milking her. The next nine months were a steep learning curve for both of us. I’d love to say she milked like a dream, but the truth is… quite the opposite. That story, however, is for another blog post.

When it came time to rebreed MooMa, my AI technician talked me into breeding Maggie as well. She had grown into a lovely little heifer and could, at the very least, provide us with beef. She was still mostly wild—nearly all my effort had gone into training MooMa—but Maggie didn’t need to be tame to reproduce, so we went ahead and bred her.

Throughout her pregnancy, Maggie came to the barn every single day. She stood quietly, watching me freequently dodge kicks and often times fight for every drop of milk from MooMa. What I didn’t realize at the time was that Maggie wasn’t just waiting for her “big sister” to finish—she was studying.

Fast forward several months. MooMa calved her second calf just days before Maggie had her first. Once again, I began milking MooMa, and once again, Maggie watched and waited.

Four days after Maggie calved, I walked into the barn expecting my usual routine and instead found Maggie standing squarely in the milk stanchion. She refused to leave. Waving my arms, yelling like a crazed person—nothing fazed her. Finally, exasperated, I looked at her and said, “Well, Maggie, I guess you’re going to be a milk cow today.” Fully expecting her to spook and bolt, I slammed my milk bucket loudly beneath her. She didn’t move. I washed her udder. Still nothing. When I finally grabbed a teat and squeezed, Maggie sucked in her gut and stood like a seasoned professional. No treats. No headgate. No kicks. No tantrums. This little black cull heifer wanted to be a milk cow.

Dexters are notorious for holding back their hind milk unless the calf is nursing. I’ve long accepted this and simply train calves to nurse on one side while I milk the other. But Maggie is different. She gives me everything she makes, trusting me to leave enough for the one thing she loves more than anything—her calf. When it’s time to wean, she handles it herself, yet she still comes to the barn every day, eager to be milked.

One year, while transitioning Maggie from a fall calving schedule to a spring schedule, I milked her for 380 days straight. In my book, that makes her a Super Cow. Maggie remained a cherished milk cow at MooShine Ridge for many years—a living reminder that sometimes the animals we least expect to keep are the ones who teach us the most.

About the Author:

Kimberly Jepsen is the heart behind MooShine Ridge in Vinita, Oklahoma, where she and her husband, Kevin, have been raising dual-purpose Dexter cows since 2015. Their little farm store is a labor of love, offering Dexter beef, raw milk, and artisan cheeses made from their own cows. Kimberly has a deep passion for the Dexter breed and loves nothing more than sharing what she’s learned over the years—whether it’s guiding fellow farmers, helping newcomers discover the joys of small-scale farming, or simply introducing people to the rich, creamy flavors of her handcrafted cheeses. For her, farming isn’t just a business—it’s a way to nurture animals, the land, and the community she cares about. https://mooshineridge.com/

From Freezer Camp to the Milk Pail: Maggie’s Story Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Is Your Dexter Udder Hairy?

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Let’s face facts. Some of our Dexter gals have some pretty hairy udders. All that hair is not something we want if we are trying to milk them and provide a clean product.
I use these handy dandy scissors pictured below, but some folks also use electric clippers, as in the short video below.

What ever method you choose, make sure you do it, it makes cleaning the udder sooo much easier!

Is Your Dexter Udder Hairy? Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Historically looking at the Dexter milk properties!

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Many may not know that the Dexter at one time was known to have milking properties of equal merit as the Kerry, a known dairy breed, though they are a dual-purpose breed. Mr. R Tait Robertson was to of said ” The milking properties of both breeds may be said to be of about equal merit”. Who is R. Tait Robertson? He is the son of James Robertson, of whom bred or collected a large portion of the foundation Dexters sold to England and other places. He was an influential breeder. For an interesting photo reference of the amazing similarities of Dexter and Kerry cattle see Aicme Check (Dexter cow) and Greenah Florah 2nd (Kerry cow). I did not have to hunt far and wide to find examples that looked closely related. All I had to do is go to the 1901 Herd book and find the only available photos of an example Kerry and Dexter cow. And by the way note the classic white Dexter udder marking on the Kerry cow as this was a common Kerry trait feature too. Nose to nose as you can see in the photo comparison they do look quite alike.

Historically looking at the Dexter milk properties! Read More »

Historical

Pasteurization …The History Behind it.

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Pasteurization is a personal choice! This history behind is interesting. Seems like the movement now is for smaller homestead dairies, selling to local folks. Give a listen, she gives many perspectives!

Pasteurization …The History Behind it. Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Need Help Pricing Your Dairy Products? By Sunstone Orchard & Rabbitry.

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Knowing the value of your milk, can help you value the products you make from your milk. Here is one person’s breakdown.

There is a wide range of raw milk dairy prices across the board, but how do you know your prices make sense based off a gallon of milk?

Here is a simple breakdown on price setting costs!

Starting point:
Milk value $15/gallon = $7.50/half gallon = $3.75/quart = ~$0.94/cup.
This is your base price to compare against, you can enter any value and adjust accordingly.

Pricing based on your $15/gal milk:
• Butter: $20–$25/lb
• Buttermilk: $5–$6/qt
• Cream: $12–$15/pint
• Yogurt: $5–$6/qt
• Fresh Cheese: $15–$20/lb
• Aged Cheese: $50–$80/lb

  1. Butter
    • 1 gallon of milk = ~2 cups cream.
    • 2 cups cream → ~¾ lb butter + 1 cup buttermilk.
    • That means ~1 lb butter takes about 2.5–3 gallons of milk.
    • If 1 gallon milk = $15, then just the milk input for 1 lb butter = $37–$45.
    🧀Suggested price: $20–$25 per pound (raw, small-batch butter often runs $20–$30/lb at farmstands).
  2. Buttermilk
    • Byproduct of butter.
    • Costs are “covered” by the butter pricing, so you can sell it lower.
    🧀Suggested price: $5–$6 per quart.
  3. Cream
    • A gallon of milk gives ~1 pint of cream, varies with breed/feed/individual cow.
    • That pint of cream “costs” the $15 you could have gotten for selling the whole gallon.
    🧀Suggested price: $12–$15 per pint raw cream is a premium item and can be scarce.
  4. Yogurt
    • 1 gallon milk makes ~1 gallon yogurt.
    • Plus starter and incubation, but not much shrinkage.
    🧀Suggested price: $15–$18 per gallon, or $5–$6 per quart, slightly higher than milk since it’s value-added.
  5. Cheeses
    • Yields vary a lot:
    • Fresh cheeses, chevre, queso fresco, paneer: ~1 lb cheese per gallon milk.
    • Aged/harder cheeses: ~1 lb cheese per 10 gallons milk.
    🧀Suggested pricing:
    • Fresh cheese: $15–$20/lb.
    • Aged cheese: $50–$80/lb since the yield is tiny and aging takes space/labor.

As always, know your state regulations for dairy.
Know your farmer.
Shop local.
Barter when you can!

Need Help Pricing Your Dairy Products? By Sunstone Orchard & Rabbitry. Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Dexters ARE Irish and Proud of It

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Where ever they roam Dexters are Irish and Proud Of It!

Dexters are well known as Irish Dexters even if many other points about them are debated. The above bull though registered with the Dexter Cattle Society is an Irish Dexter with a “fine type and constitution” as the article states. I checked, he certainly was owned and breed by Mr. W. Lindsay Everard of Ratcliffe. This article holds true to the fact that Dexters are known to be of a small type of cattle. That very small cattle were known to roam Ireland before “Mr. Dexter” was ever penned in History. In Kerry there was known to be some of the smallest type of cattle one can imagine, long before Dexters were ever established or organized into a true breed. So small of an animal that it is mentioned in this paragraph, but yet still producing 2 gallons of milk a day is a marvel indeed. The brown article was written on 14 Nov 1929, it’s from the Western Daily Press Bristol. The picture was taken from a later newspaper published in 1930. Though the Dexter was well known to produce ample milk and was “closely allied to the Kerry breed and very similar to it in general appearance.” The differences being that “Dexters are “more stoutly built and rounder in their contours”.

The Dexter has a “stronger head than the Kerry, but very clear cut, shorter below the eyes and broader at the muzzle”. The description of her horns are as follows ” Her horns are thicker and usually after rising upwards bend backwards towards the points”. It is interesting to note that she is even fleshier than the Kerry but was thought to look a better milker than the Kerry. Short cows with large udders seem to showcase the udder in a much more extreme way than a longer legged cow though the udder could be of the same size. The article really goes on to highlight the excellent milking attributes of a Dexter to great lengths. A point worth mentioning is that “there is hardly a prettier sight than a herd of Dexters grazing in a park”. I personally can’t help but look out at my hills and know this rings true to me today, just as much as it must have to the writer of this article in the past! Dexters truly are practical and beautiful when bred for all these amazing Historical traits!

Breeders have long been concerned with breeding to “type” and a few points to mention in this last photo that align with the Standard Description of a Dexter is the color being “Whole black or whole red”. The “Head short and broad” with “great width between the eyes”, and “tapering gracefully twords the muzzle. Dexters definetley impress with their specific beautiful traits and charming ways which took hold of many a wealthy land owner who could aford to buy any exotic cattle they chose. In conclusion Dexters and their “pretty little calves are very fascinating”! They are Irish and Proud of it and those of us who breed them, have been taken by their Irish Charms.

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Historical

Lying out all winter long, Getting nothing more than what they can pick up and a small portion of hay Night and Morning.

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Dexters have long been hailed as hardy and thrifty even adaptable to locations from Africa to snow laden areas. This article I am sharing was written by R. Tait Robertson; he was a famous and most influential Dexter breeder for his day. He was not just any armature Dexter owner, since he was a foundational breeder of Dexter cattle and a generational farmer. He explained that” I have on my farm over 100 of them (Dexters) lying out at present, and they will continue so all winter, getting nothing beyond what they can pick up and a small portion of hay night and morning”. What this means is that Original Dexters could get by on just a little, but of course they could thrive on even more. It was often said that when the Dexters of Ireland went to the manor lands of England they grew greater in size due to the surplus. Dexters can do well on just forage and hay alone with no grain needed. They can excel on the best rations and produce even more, but if times get tough, they can more than get by.

Who was R. Tait Robertson?

Mr. Roberston was a very influential breeder, breeding in Malahide, County Dublin, Ireland. His family later had Church Farm in Babraham, Cambridge. His Dexters were esteemed as quality and were very sought after by the English who wished to keep them. He is the son of James Robertson. They were not just multigenerational farmers but multi-generational Dexter farmers who helped shape Dexters in their early years by breeding and selection. Dexters as we know them then owed a great degree of tribute to this influential family. Mr. R. Tait Robertson was also a judge for Kerry and Dexter cattle. He judged them by the merit that this article speaks to. Someone may say that Dexters are a beef breed that can milk, but Mr. R Tait Robertson said they have “equal merit” to Kerry cattle. They were not transformed in England to a milking breed but rather selected and bred by breeders like the Robertsons for great dual-purpose traits and were heavy in exceptional dairy traits. When R. Tait Robertson speaks to their equal merit remember that he was a judge for both Kerry and Dexter cattle and those judges gave prizes and entered both Kerry and Dexter cattle into the foundation herd books for the Royal Dublin Society. Dexters are not, nor have they ever been a beef breed that can be milked, but rather a dual-purpose breed with equal merit in milking traits to an ancient breed of dairy cattle (Kerry cattle) that can excel at grass-based feeding.

Lamancha Dexter Herd

Mr. R. Tait Robertson was the owner and or collector of the cattle in the La Mancha Herd. He or his family may not have bred them all but rather selected some as foundational cattle for the Dexter breed. You will often see La Mancha Dexters registered to him, his father or Robertsons and sons. His Dexters traveled to many countries and those Dexters that could be found “Lying out all winter long, getting nothing more than what they can pick up and a small portion of hay Night and Morning” run in the veins of our Dexters today. This article I shared was written on 16 December 1899 and La Mancha Love Lost was born in 1897. She was qualified by inspection most likely by Mr. R. Tait Robertson and would have spent time in his field while this article was written. It’s nice to think of such a beautiful cow lying out in your pasture all winter long, getting nothing more than what she can pick up and a small portion of hay night and morning then still looking so beautiful! That’s the kind of Dexter I want.

Lying out all winter long, Getting nothing more than what they can pick up and a small portion of hay Night and Morning. Read More »

Historical

Man vs Machine When Milking a Cow

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I believe that you should learn to hand milk your Dexters and other dairy animals. For me the journey was to master hand milking. I moved on to a machine after I was milking several Nubians and Dexters. My body was telling me I needed help.
I have never regretted this, as you have to strip out after the machine and I am prepared for days with no power.
Here is a podcaster from the Family Milk Cow and her perspective.

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Milking & Dairy

Preserving Irish Dexter Dairy and Beef

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By Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm

Since many of us are homesteaders or practice some kind of preserving, I thought I would take a moment to discuss an alternative to canning, pressure canning and dehydrating. 

 Are you scratching your head, thinking where is she going with this?

Consider freeze drying.  While the initial cost seems daunting, it really is an excellent way to preserve your Dexter milk, yogurts, cheeses, colostrum and beef for 25 YEARS!  Think about when you’re over loaded with one veggie or another during gardening season.  The veggies, herbs or eggs when they are abundant, can be frozen and put into the freeze dryer anytime.  We still can and pressure can, but this gives us a  whole new option.  

We purchased a medium Harvest Right about a year and half ago and have been amazed at all the things we can preserve….it is less time consuming and in our opinion, and better quality product in many cases.

Canning of dairy is frowned upon by the USDA and in some cases consider unsafe, although people do it.  Freeze drying on the other hand, processes the dairy at lower temperatures and therefore does not pasteurize it…so if raw is your goal, it is good alternative.  If you pasteurize, you still follow the same method.  We pour a quart of milk on each tray and let the machine do its thing.  We have done it both with cream in and cream out…the choice is yours.  We find it needs to be blended when reconstituted, or another favorite is dry in our coffee, just like coffee creamer!

If you’re into selling, freeze dried milk and other products can be a good source income.  Take a look at the price of powdered milk in the store!  It is not uncommon to see freeze dried milk for $30-40 a gallon.  Let’s clarify this.  One gallon of freezer dried milk reconstituted into one gallon of drinkable milk…almost quadruples in price.

And don’t forget your Dexter beef!  Consider this scenario….you have some cuts left from your last processing and you would really like to eat it before you get into the next one.  Well, freeze dry it and then you have preserved it for 25 years.  It makes great gifts, as it is so light to ship.

How do you use this freeze dried beef?  We like to pour some of our Dexter  bone broth over it.  Let it sit in refrigerator over night and then use it in the next day or so.  The beef will only absorb as much broth as it can.  It doesn’t get mushy, which can happen with veggies.  Cook with it like you usually do.

Hope this article helps you on your farm, ranch or homestead.  I just love this technology and thought I would share.

Preserving Irish Dexter Dairy and Beef Read More »

Beef Milking & Dairy

Dexters are a TOP-RANKING DUAL-PURPOSE BREED

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Dexters may only rank 5 in this dual-purpose breed list, but when you consider their size, they come out as number one for the small farm. Practical and versatile in being great for beef and milk. Often times people consider Dexters mini cattle, but the whole breed is naturally small with some individuals being extra small. It is interesting to note that Dexters make the list even though they are small in size and no one can discredit them for their diminutive size as though they are nothing more than a toy breed as they hold their own with the big boys.

Click the link below to read the article

Dual-Purpose Cattle Breeds for Milk and Meat – World Deer

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Beef

Farm Sales…A Way I Find works

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I think one of the hardest things for farmers, ranchers and homesteaders is when they need to sell something off the farm.  That journey should start well before you need to sell something.

Let’s look at the model I use for selling of Dexter beef.  

I share all of the information about our wonderful breed I can, on social media …especially things like, dropping the names of famous chefs that have come to appreciate the quality of our beef.  I also share podcasts, articles and pictures of Dexters in the field, on the plate and in its packaging from the butcher.

So now you have some beef that will be ready to be processed in a few months and you don’t need it for your family.  This is when you need to start looking for potential customers.

How to get started 

The first thing you need to do is decide what you are going to sell and its value.  One of the easiest ways to do this is to look at the market…check out sites like the Irish Dexter Cattlemen, Craig’s List and local social media sites.  By comparing what you see on these you will be able to determine what the price point of what is  selling in your area.  

Things to keep in mind are is it grass-fed and grain finished or grass-fed and grass finished.  The grass-fed grass finished tends to command a higher price.  Another consideration is vaccinated, as more and more folks are looking for unjabbed…this is a term I see more and more.  The more specialized your finished product is, the more you can ask. I say you can ask…because not every  customer values that.   It’s about building the clientele at this point.

Build your own customer base

Once you start to get customers, you will then need to retain them and encourage them to tell their friends.  We always follow up immediately after they get their first quarter or half. Your butcher can also be a big help to you.  He sees and works with a lot of different breeds and will have a much bigger customer base than you.  A really good butcher is so important to your finished product and especially your yield.  My butcher is wonderful about sharing what we have produced and bragging on it for us!

Not everyone knows what Dexter cattle are and that we have, well in my opinion and many of our customer’s opinion,  one of best dual purpose , beef and dairy breeds.  So, how do you get them to see the value of your beef and our  breed?   For us, it was finding like minded folks.  People who were not looking for meat from the local grocery store.  Someone who understood, that by buying the whole, half or quarter of the Dexter they would see an overall better value than the price of just the burger.  Our burger is ancestral beef, another differential that sets us apart from many of the other farmers in our area. It includes a percentage of organ meat.  This maybe valued by your customer,  if they are health conscious…or maybe not important to others or even a put off, to some.

Once they have bought from you, you need to ask them when they will need more.  You want to retain that customer and build on that base.  If they rave about it…ask them to tell their friends and family.  Word of mouth is so much less work and keeps your pipeline full.  If you can’t fill their needs, find another Dexter owner who you can work with and help each other.  For us, it’s about getting them to buy Dexter.

Dealing with objections

Common objects are:

I don’t know if I have enough freezer space…or how big a freezer do I need.  We have many articles, videos and personal writings on the this in the IDC Gazette  But the amount of beef produced is a huge selling feature, as the Dexter doesn’t give the average family, too much to deal with.

In many states they need to pay you for the Dexter and the butcher for the processing.  In other states, they are done at USDA facilities and payment can be made to you including the processing.  Or it can be sold as individual cuts.  If selling individual cuts, more homework will need to be done determining the prices of those individual cuts. So, money can be a factor, as some will need to accrue for it unless you are selling individual cuts.

And my all time favorite objection …I need to talk to my husband or my wife…and then you hear crickets.  You still need to follow up.  Understanding objections can only help you hone your selling skills and prepare you for crazy objections like this last one….lol

Using the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace

I use the ad I generate using the Irish Dexter Cattlemen for selling.  Why?  Because it’s looks professional,  I don’t have my own website and I don’t want to write a bunch of different ads.To best utilize the ad, I take a picture of it, so they have something to look at and then copy and paste the link of the ad into different social media groups and sometimes even Craig’s list.  Not everyone uses social media or Craig’s list.  So, by using the IDC Marketplace, I have exposure there on the website  and in the FREE monthly newsletter, giving me two more vehicles for selling.  By doing it this way, I only write the ad once and then copy and paste, giving it a professional and consistent look. Feed back from some of the buyers off the site have been very positive. They like that everything is in the ad…registration numbers if applicable, location, price and if it is negotiable and that they can have a private conversation.

When sharing on social media I choose local sites, as shipping, is not much of an option with cost of shipping and the need to keep it frozen.  I also use the Irish Dexter Cattlemen featured post on FB and some of the cattle groups that serve my area, as it’s just not feasible for people to drive great distances for their beef.

Repetition 

Just because you post something once doesn’t get it sold.  People don’t typically look back through post from a week ago or a month ago.  When  they’re wanting to buy something they usually look back maybe a couple of days. 

I suggest you post on Thursdays or Fridays and again on the weekend to get people looking at what you have available.  

If you are keeping your pipeline full, and you are building your clientele, the repetition will not need to be as much.  You will develop wait lists and those lists will need to be worked.  Just because they’re on your waitlist doesn’t mean they’re going to buy again. You need to touch base with them periodically and keep it current because they may have decided to buy somewhere else. I find if you touch base with them monthly or every other month, you’re more likely to keep them on your list of potential buyers.

So in conclusion, the important things to remember are

Look professional.

Start to sell before your are taking your Dexter for processing.

Build up the quality of the breed and its beef….you never know you may sell breeding stock too to that beef customer.

Learn to deal with objections in a positive manner.

Remember, posting it once doesn’t get it sold. 

Here is one of my favorite podcasts for educating buyers about our wonderful breed.

Dexter Beef Podcast – Taste the Difference

I sincerely hope this helps you…if you have more ideas, feel free to comment.  I would love to hear some of your feedback or unique ways of selling your beef and breeding stock.

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Selling

DID YOU KNOW AN INSTANT POT CAN PASTEURIZE YOUR RAW MILK?

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Not everyone is comfortable with consuming raw milk. No need to buy an expensive pasteurizer if you have an instant pot in your kitchen. This article covers a few ways of doing pasteurization in your home. It can be done even if you don’t have the yogurt button, but it definitely makes it easier if yours does.

Everything To Know About Instant Pot Pasteurize

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Milking & Dairy

Dexter Arrival: A Homesteading Dream Realized, Hayburner Acres

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Our journey to homesteading began about five years ago. My husband and I were searching for self-sustainability, a quieter life, and a deeper connection to the land. Raised in the suburbs with every modern convenience, we only knew which grocery store had the freshest beef. That was the extent of our food sourcing knowledge.

Once we acquired our acreage, we started, as many do, with chickens. At the time, I hadn’t even considered milking animals myself, so I went looking for farm-fresh milk. I found a local source, and with it, a whole new world. We began picking up a couple of gallons each week, but it didn’t take long before we wanted to produce our own.

That’s how we ended up with Nubian goats.

I was intimidated by the idea of milking and caring for them, but goats felt less daunting than a full-sized milk cow. Still, I had always loved and admired the Dexters at pickup. Just being around them brought a peace I couldn’t explain. They were a dream, something for “someday.”

Fast forward a few years, and someday finally came.

About a month ago, we brought home our first Dexters: a heifer and a steer. And how’s it going? In a word? beautifully.

The first thing I noticed was their peaceful nature. Just being near them calms my nervous system in a way I can’t begin to describe. I’m absolutely head over heels in love. I’ve started thinning down my goat herd to make room for more Dexters in the future.

I’m learning to be a pasture and grass farmer (also moving fencing, adding pastures) all to better serve my Dexters. I’m excited to contribute to the breed by selecting strong lines and continuing the work that’s already been poured into my girl, Fiona.

Am I still intimidated by the idea of milking them? Absolutely.
Will I do it anyway and love it once the time comes? Without a doubt.

There’s still so much to learn—about pasture management, breeding, and eventually milking—but I’m ready. With the right mentors and a heart full of determination, we’ll thrive. Fiona and Chuck are home now, and so are we. This is just the beginning of a lifelong journey with Dexters, and I couldn’t be more excited to walk it one peaceful step at a time.

I’m looking forward to many years alongside this incredible breed.

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Homesteading

MILK LET DOWN – HINTS AND TRICKS

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For the first time milker or the heifer that is getting milked for the first time, there are some important things to remember for success. The article below goes over some of the basics.

We have, thankfully, only had a few that were very stubborn. We found that putting the calf in front of the cow, so she can see it helps…but when nothing works…we have reverted to letting the calf nurse one side for a short time. I do say short time, as they can drain their moms with amazing speeds.

I have included photos of our calf let down gate to give you some ideas that have worked for us. You can see the calf thru the little gate on the first photo. On the second photo you see the pulley. When we need to use this system…which we thankfully have only had to a few times, we tie a rope the the gate, un hook the bungee, feed the rope thru the pulley and the whole gate goes up and down so we can quickly drop it once mom starts to let down.

The Role of Predictability and Calm Handling in Milk Letdown

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Milking & Dairy

Milk dispensers in Germany…interesting …wonder what breeds of cattle are behind this.

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In Germany, a new wave of farm-to-table convenience is flowing through vending machines — quite literally. Across rural towns and even urban neighborhoods, you’ll find self-serve milk vending machines that dispense fresh, unprocessed milk straight from local farms. Open 24/7, these machines let customers refill their own bottles with creamy, cold milk at any time of day, reducing packaging waste and shortening the distance between farm and consumer.

Typically placed at the edge of dairy farms, village centers, or community markets, these vending machines are restocked daily with milk collected directly from the cows. Customers simply insert a coin or swipe a card, place their bottle under the nozzle, and watch as fresh milk fills it up — often still warm from the morning’s milking, or chilled for instant use.

Many stations also provide reusable glass bottles for purchase, encouraging zero-waste habits. Some even display details about the farm, the cows’ diet, and the time of last milking — giving full transparency in a world often disconnected from food sources.

These milk stations are more than just a novelty — they’re a return to tradition with a modern twist. By cutting out the middlemen and minimizing processing, Germany’s milk vending machines support small farmers, reduce emissions, and give people access to wholesome, local dairy with the push of a button.

Credit: Organic living

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Milking & Dairy

TENET BEEF UPDATE

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After a small sampling from one herd, it appears that the Dexter breed does have this highly inheritable genetic marker. It appears that the marker is found in those cows with the most milk production. This makes total sense, as they refer to the genetic marker as found in most easy keeping cattle.

Unfortunately no bulls were part of the initial testing and semen is not able to be tested for this marker.

So, now that we know the marker is there for the Dexter breed and that it seems to be in cows with most milk…we need more folks to test. It has been suggested that it maybe easy to get a few drops at ear tagging time and a simple tail stick for the older ones.

If you would like more information on how to get your herd tested, please reach out to the Irish Dexter Cattlemen and we will help you get started. It requires only a few drops of blood on a Tenet card sampler. The card is then sent of for sequencing.

It takes 5 days to get to the lab and 10-30 days for the sequencing to happen after being received.  They send your your results by email. Pretty simple procedure.

The thing that was most interesting was it was found in the cows with the most milk production. How cool would it be to be able to predict possibly milk production and beef tenderness? Duality!

In case, you need to brush up on this. Below is the podcast that started this adventure. This is NOT the Neogen testing that has been happening by a group of Dexter breeders.

TENET BEEF UPDATE Read More »

General

SMALL CATTLE CARRY AWAY BIG HONORS

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This article written in Gloucestershire on 27th March 1986 represents a long memorable chapter of the pages in History of Dexter cattle. The Dexter in this article is being noted as truly dual purposed, possessing fine quality small joints of beef, all the while being able to suckle two calves at once and raise 8 commercial calves in one year. This all seems an even more amazing feat when you consider one of the cows being spoke of was 34 inches. Thirty-four inches, how many Dexters today meet these amazing statistics? This article when I compared to other historical information sites a higher average milk production than some historical amounts in Dexters that I have seen at 4.5 gallons per day. This figure is not rare by any means but not necessarily a given rate with some Dexters producing a bit less.
Dexters are being stated as being small and valuable for grazing under plum trees so as not to damage the trees. At the time of this article, Dexters are listed on the Rare Breed Survival Trust, but are no longer being listed as endangered as they once were prior to the articles printing. When we consider today with so many pedigree Dexters in great numbers it is hard for many to believe that Dexetrs were once so rare. But yet how many rare Jems are left like the Dexters being mentioned from these days, just back in 1986? Perhaps the Dexter of 1986 is rarer than we think.

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Historical

Feta dip from cows milk feta…easy and quick!

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This was fabulous…while I made it with goats milk…I could have made it with Dexter milk, but I had it already made from goat.

Don’t skip the rinsing or it will be too salty

Sure to impress you with chips, pita, sourdough bread…….

I use a version of the recipe below to make feta as well….bon appetite!

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/1273-whipped-feta-dip

https://cheesemaking.com/products/feta-cheese-making-recipe

Feta dip from cows milk feta…easy and quick! Read More »

Homesteading

Perceived value ….true for dexter milk, beef and breeding stock

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A CONVERSATION ABOUT PERCEIVED VALUE:

A customer asked me how much it would cost for a gallon of raw milk .

I gave them a price of $15/gallon.

The customer responded: That’s seems really high.

I asked: What do you think is a reasonable price for this?

The customer answered: $4 maximum

I responded: Ok, then I invite you to do it yourself.

The customer answered: I don’t know how to.

I responded: Alright, then how about for $4/gallon, I’ll teach you how to. So besides saving you $11, you’ll learn valuable skills that will benefit you in the future.

The customer answered: Sounds good! Let’s do it!

I responded: Great! To get started, you are going to need some things. You will need a cow (≈$3000), 45# of dry matter quality feed A DAY, feeders, waterers, an area to let her be a cow, a shelter, a clean area to milk, a milking machine or supplies to hand milk into, preferably electricity for this indoor area and heated water, countless gallons of water, fencing to contain this cow, etc.
Not to mention, there is a very real possibility that your single cow gets sick and doesn’t produce, a bull or someone to AI her because no pregnancy, no milk. Injury, illness, and unexpected weather conditions are always present. Now, you are back to square 1 if she doesn’t breed, dries up, get sick, or dies.

The customer answered: But I don’t have any of those things and I can’t justify buying all of these for a gallon of milk.

I responded: Ok. Well then for an additional $11/gallon, I can rent my supplies, building, and supply hay/grain/minerals/pasture to you.

The customer answered: Okay. That’s fair.

I responded: Great! We will start the project on Monday.

The customer answered: I work Monday through Friday. I’m only available on the weekends.

I responded: If you want to learn from me then you will need to work when I work. We milk everyday, 2x day, so you will need to be here at least 2 hours every morning and every night year round.

The customer answered: That means I’m going to have to sacrifice a lot of my time!

I responded: That’s true. Remember, when you do a job yourself you need to account for unproductive factors.

The customer answered: What do you mean by that?

I responded: Milking a cow doesnt just take a couple hours morning and night. It takes time to muck out her area, town trips to pick up cleaning supplies/teat dip, trucking for hay. It takes time to bottle the milk cleanly, it takes jars, it takes more cleaning of equipment and facility, it takes wear and tear on your milking equipment and feeding equipment. And thats all on top of your other chores/responsibilities.
So we will see you Monday morning, 6 am.

The customer answered: At 6am?!! My work day doesn’t usually start until 8am!

I responded: A cow thrives on a set schedule, milking 2x day should be as close to 12 hours apart as can be, so if you want to start later, that’s ok. But you will need to come back in the evening after your full day of work and milk again at that time, so if you want to start at 8 am, you will milk again at 8 pm. After clean up and bottling milk… you can head home around 10 pm. Saturday and Sunday included. Blizzards or 100 F. No days off here.

The customer answered: You know, I’m realizing that a lot more goes in to quality food than what a customer sees in the finished project. Your proposal of $15/gallon is very reasonable. I would like you to milk and have it ready for me to just pick up..

CONCLUSION:

When you pay for a job, especially a custom job, (whether it’s a physical project or digital project or GROWING AND RAISING FOOD) you pay not only for the material and the work to be completed. You also pay for:

✔️ Knowledge
✔️ Experience
✔️ Custom Skills
✔️ Tools
✔️ Time to plan
✔️ Time to prepare
✔️ Professionalism
✔️ Work Ethic
✔️ Excellence
✔️ Discipline
✔️ Commitment
✔️ Integrity
✔️ Taxes
✔️ Licenses
✔️ Sacrifices
✔️ Liabilities
✔️ Insurance

If you desire fresh, healthy, locally grown food, please don’t disrespect a farmer by trying to get them to lower their prices.

If their proposal exceeds your budget, there’s nothing wrong with going elsewhere.

Just remember.. you get what you pay for.

👉🏼 FARMERS: Know your worth and be confident in it.

👉🏼 CONSUMERS: Recognize their worth and be respectful of it.

Sharing this to support all my friends, family and clients who are Farmers, Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Tradesman.

-Unknown and edited

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Selling

Reproduction and AI, by Kim May of the Facebook group The Science Of Owning Dairy cattle.

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REPRODUCTION AND AI

For those interested in learning more about the bovine reproductive cycle and how we manipulate it, here is a basic summary.

Bovine Estrous Cycle Physiology

The bovine estrous cycle typically consists of 21 days, plus or minus a few days in each direction. Estrus is the period where the cow is receptive to the male or in a standing heat (not to be confused with estrous). Estrus (or heat) typically lasts around 20 hours. Signs of estrus include vocalizing, standing to be mounted, clear discharge from the vulva, increased activity, etc. During the period of estrus, progesterone is low and estrogen is high. Luteinizing hormone (LH for short) also increases during estrus and is the hormone that initiates ovulation. Ovulation is the release of an ovum or egg from the ovary. Ovulation actually occurs 10-15 hours after the end of estrus, in a period called metestrus. Metestrus lasts 3 to 5 days. During this period, an early corpus luteum (CL) is also forming. So where did this CL come from? It came from ovulation! When the ovary releases an egg, the left over structure on the ovary becomes the CL. During metestrus, you may notice a slightly bloody discharge from her vulva. Progesterone is still low during this period but it is starting to rise. The growing CL is actually what is producing the progesterone, and as it grows in size and maturity will be able to produce more progesterone.
As the CL continues to mature, we enter the phase of diestrus. At this point progesterone is high and this period lasts about 12 days.
Next up is proestrus. At this point in the cycle, the CL is regressing and progesterone is decreasing. Estrogen and LH do not like progesterone. They cannot increase until progesterone is low which is why they are increasing at this point as the CL is regressing. Estrogen and LH are increasing and getting the egg on the ovary ready to be released. Then the cycle starts all over again with estrus!
So basically, during heat LH initiates the egg to be released and the leftovers become a structure called a CL that produces progesterone. That CL will grow and produce more progesterone but will eventually fade away. This allows estrogen and LH to increase again and produce another egg.
In order to maintain a pregnancy, there must be a functioning CL. The high progesterone from the CL is what keeps the fetus from being aborted for the first few weeks.

Disclaimer: This is a very basic summary on the estrous cycle. There are other things going on (follicular waves, etc.) but in an effort to simplify things this includes only the major details.

Medications used to change the estrous cycle

Using medications to change the estrous cycle is super common. It can be used for synchronizing a herd to breed them at the same time, using a timed AI approach, or implanting embryos.

Lutalyse or PG: This medication lyses or destroys a CL. Because it gets rid of a CL, it also causes progesterone to decrease.

CIDR: This is an intravaginal device with slowly releasing progesterone. This will increase progesterone in the blood and stop LH and estrogen from increasing.

GnRH also known as Fertagyl or Factrel: This causes an LH surge and thus ovulation.

You’ll hear a lot that lutalyse will bring a cow into heat. While this can be true, it depends on where she’s at in the cycle. If it’s during diestrus where she has a mature CL, great! The CL will lyse, estrogen and LH will rise and then ovulation. If she is in metestrus or proestrus, lutalyse will do nothing for a young maturing or a regressing CL and she will not go back into heat any faster.

There’s many different AI protocols and what works best for you will depend on your cow, labor intensity desire, and cost.

Let’s start with AI on a natural heat. There’s a common AM PM rule when it comes to inseminating cattle. The rule basically states that when a cow comes into heat she should be AI’d 12 hours later. So she is in standing heat in morning, then AI in the evening and vice versa. If we think back to the estrous cycle, this makes sense. Estrus lasts about 20 hours and ovulation occurs 10-15 hours after the end of estrus. Cows typically come into standing heat around the middle of estrus. Let’s say hour 10. So then I would AI at hour 22. The cow should ovulate between hours 30 and 35. You don’t want to AI at the time of ovulation because the sperm have to go through a process before they can fertilize an egg. That process takes several hours. Early AI tends to lead to higher quality embryos but less of them for this reason. Whereas later AI can lead to higher chances of embryos but not great quality so lesser chance of an actual pregnancy. How long sperm last depends on the bull, extender used, and sexed vs conventional. Conventional should last about 24 hours. (Although I’ve played around with semen before and have had it last about 3 days in the fridge.) Sexed will last a little less than that so sometimes people with sexed semen will wait more like 16 hours vs 12 to account for that.

For timed AI…

Double ovsynch can be very useful for high producing first lactation dairy cows. It has about a 10% higher conception rate compared to regular ovsynch. That 10% difference is a little bit less as the cow gets older. The difference of double ovsynch from regular ovsynch is that you are presynchronizing the cow prior to AI to make sure she is at the ideal part of her cycle. For older cows, there’s also some evidence that 2 lutalyse injections 24 hours apart increases conception rates. The 2 injections basically make sure the CL is completely regressed. However, cons to the double ovsynch over regular is that it takes twice as long, more labor, and more drugs are used therefore increasing cost.

Ovsynch does not work as well in heifers. For heifers, I’m partial to 5 day CIDR. I included charts for double ovsynch, regular ovsynch, and 5 day CIDR.

For the girls that have a history of being more difficult to breed, I’ll always give a GNRH injection at time of breeding and AI again 12 hours later. I’ll also check the sperm. Just recently got a batch of brand new straws that only had 10% progressive motility.

I know that was a bunch of information to throw at everyone, so if you have any questions feel free to ask

or check out this site, which was used to write this article https://extension.psu.edu/timed-ai-protocols-double-ovsynch

Reproduction and AI, by Kim May of the Facebook group The Science Of Owning Dairy cattle. Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Dexters – Poor Man’s Cow to Luxury Cow By Danielle Lowther

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Poor Man’s Cow to Luxury Cow

How did the Poor Man’s Cow become owned by the wealthy and famous. Dexters and Kerry Cattle became recognized for their unique hardy attributes, Kerry for milk and Dexter for milk and meat. Dexters were known to get by on less, produce rich milk and raise a healthy vigorous calf for their owner’s table. Dexters were bred to their breed specific traits transforming them from just any poor Irish cows to these 2 beautiful, registered Dexter cows we see in these two later photos.

They were rare and they were at risk of being cross bred out of existence, but breeders in Ireland started selecting and registering Dexter cattle with breed defining traits to preserve and register them in a herd book. Once the promotion of Dexters began every wealthy aristocrat wanted one. All of a sudden, they were not the Poor Man’s cow but rather for a short spell until the numbers grew, cattle that only the wealthy could afford. Consider as this article states a $200 dollar Dexter cow from 1915. This is the equivalent of $6221.78. I checked multiple inflation calculators to verify that number as being correct. With the highest price the ad mentions at $350 in 1915, you would pay $10,936.81 today! Consider today we pay less for quality breeding stock. Rarity always drives the price up and just like with the rarity of gold it dictates the price.
Registered cows were important then and today. Registered Dexters will always hold a higher value than unregistered. Still with Dexters it took devoted breeders to breed Dexters according to the Dexter Standard to the highest quality like the 2 cows you see in the photographs. Not every Dexter cow was nearly as ideal as these two beauties. Compton Daphne, I speculate is a Chondro Carrier while Grinstead Watercress I speculate to be a non-carrier. Of course, we can never go back and test them so it’s just speculation. Both are extremely well bred and both fit the standard well.

So, as you can see Dexters are a dual-purpose breed that can be bred by multiple types of people regardless of fortune because they are a great pick for everyone. Whether you’re a small homesteader trying to save money with a thrifty headache free cow or someone who just wants to raise them as beautiful lawn mowers true Dexters are a great fit for these reasons and so many more!

30 Jan 1915 is the date of article written.
Photo of cattle in town are common type of Celtic cow that roamed Ireland.
Other two photos are of registered Dexters.

Dexters – Poor Man’s Cow to Luxury Cow By Danielle Lowther Read More »

Historical

Choosing the right cow for your homestead

I really enjoyed this podcast about how to choose a milk cow for your homestead. While she is very pro Jersey, they do mention the Dexter and the principles for looking for the right cow for your farm, ranch or homestead are essentially the same.

Interestingly she does recommend the trained cow, she did not take the route, but explains the long game to get there. Which ever route you choose, the Dexter should definitely be considered. Less food, easy keepers, little to no metabolic issues have been my experience.

They talk about Angus Jersey being some of the best beef…someone needs to feed them some Dexter!

Listen up ….remember the Dexter is has been the right choice for many of us….we just need to spread the word!

Homesteading with a milk cow
American FarmSteadHers~ Your Homesteading & Gardening Podcast

Jenny asks the questions as someone interested in a future dairy cow, and Donna answers with her experience. We go over the very basics of looking for and keeping a family dairy cow on the homestead.americanfarmsteadhers.com americanfarmsteadconvention.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-farmsteadhers-your-homesteading-gardening/id1615836366?i=1000596157232

Choosing the right cow for your homestead Read More »

Homesteading

Tips for milking cows By Deanna Clark from Simple Pulse

Photo from Deanna Clark, Lane’s End Iggy

There are over 270 million cows producing milk across the world with about 10 million in North America alone and now you own one or more of those milk cows, congratulations! I bet you spent lots of time considering age, breed, reproductive status and temperament before you got your precious new cow and now I’m here to offer you a general rundown of a basic milking procedure.

Everything starts with routine. Cows are very much creatures of habit and will do best with a set time schedule for milkings. A good routine starts well before its time to actually milk, especially for 1st time heifers. Begin by setting up your milking area and bringing the heifer or cow into the area at least once a day before she calves and feeding grain or brushing her. Once she does calve, it is important to stick to that routing, milking every 12 hours is the industry standard for time between milkings.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Making sure your udder is clean before attaching the milk machine is a must! Start with a warm damp rag or dairy towel and vigorously clean each teat and the udder around it to remove any manure or debris. The key here is to not be shy about really getting in there. This action is the first thing that will trigger a cows let down. Unlike some animals, cows seem to have a will of their own and if they don’t want to give you their milk, they wont! Only happy cows give milk is a true statement. You will notice her teats turn from small prunes to a plump shape as you are cleaning her off. Sometimes they even begin to stream milk on their own. This is the sign she has let down her milk.

After she is all clean it is time to apply the pre-dip. Iodine or chlorhexidine

are the two most common used. Both sanitizes the teats before the machine goes on. When you apply it, make sure to let it sit on for the recommend amount of time so it can do its work, don’t rush this step. Use a clean paper towel,1 per cow, to wipe off the disinfectant. Next you should milk out a small amount of milk from each teat into a container or strip cup. Pay special attention to its color, smell, and consistency; checking for any lumps or strings which can be a first sign of mastitis. If all looks good you are now you are ready to attach your claws/inflations. 

Milking with a good machine like the SimplePulseshould only take 6-10 min from start to finish. Any longer than this and you have a settings or pressure issue. Cows liked to be milked at around 60 pulses per minute of the pulsator. When you first get a machine from SimplePulsethe pulsator is set for goats which is slightly higher at 90 pulses. To adjust this down, turn the set screw on the back of the pulsator using a flat head screwdriver until you hear the clicks start to get further apart and it times to 60 pulses in 1 minute. 

When attaching the inflations to the udder align the entrance of the inflation with the teat opening and then depress the bottom claw button. This will suck the teat into the inflation shell to the proper depth and begin milking instantly. Repeat with the other 3 inflations. Continue allowing the machine to milk until you notice milk no longer flowing. At the point you think she is done milking, her udder should look noticeably deflated and you no longer see milk flowing into the claws, go ahead and pull down gently on each inflation in turn. This will open the milk canal and allow that last bit of milk to come out which is the highest in butterfat. Continue to apply slight downward traction until you don’t see a steady stream of milk anymore before turning the machine off. 

After milking, a cows teat canals stay open for around 30 minutes after so be sure to apply a good post-milking teat dip like iodine or if its below freezing, Winterset powder, to coat the teat ends and prevent bacteria from entering once you turn her out. 

Having a good routine, sanitation practice and procedure in place by following these simple steps will set you and your cows up for a successful milking journey.

Tips for milking cows By Deanna Clark from Simple Pulse Read More »

Milking & Dairy

High Tech solution for making yogurt from the New England Cheesemaking Company.

Clever idea to hold your yogurt at a constant temperature using sous vide!

We love to try different t cooking techniques and have used sous vide for many years with our Dexter steaks. Happy to have found another use for the sous vide immersion circulator. Next thing to try, is using it when making cheese. Thank you New England Cheesemaking Company!

High Tech solution for making yogurt from the New England Cheesemaking Company. Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Milk Fever – Prevention and treatment By Juliette Albrecht

Juliette Albrecht is a contributing member of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen, who was born and raised in the dairy industry. She has helped a fellow IDC member save their cow. Look for her articles each month and for past articles in the Gazette.

Juliette also runs two Facebook groups. One is under her name. The other is called The Science of Owning Dairy Cattle.

☆☆ Milk Fever
It scares so many dairy cow owners, and for a rightful reason. However I hope that I can shed some light on it and take away a bit of that fear. Hypocalcemia (milk fever) is brought on by the sudden demand for calcium that comes prior to delivery and directly afterwards. This taps her muscles, which carry that, heavily. In a pre calving scenario it will affect labor, since the cow needs muscles to contract. Often in this case she will need assistance. Characterized by lethargic movement, dull, dark eyes, and drop in body temperature, it can also lead to her going “down.”

●● Prevention

First calf heifers are less prone to this, but it CAN happen in them. Commonly it affects 3rd lactation and beyond. From the time she delivers her calf you are either setting her up for a great following lactation, or one doomed to fail. It all start with NUTRITION. Dairy cattle are beautiful, but oh so delicate. She needs fiber, energy, starch, protein, bypass protein and minerals to simply survive. (Keep an eye out for Mariah Gull and her weekly posts regarding this subject!) When a cow calves in she loses body weight rather rapidly. During this time she “milks off” condition. Peak is considered to be day 30 to 90 in milk. If she is being fed correctly, she will not become too thin. Coupled with a good deworming protocol, she will slowly regain weight. At roughly day 80 she ideally will be bred back, and than her body weight will continue to rise. Grain should rise as she peaks to meet her milk volume, than slowly decrease as it falls. If she goes into late stage lactation either too thin or on the alternate, overweight, she is being setup for metabolic problems. During the dry period I either cut grain off completely (during spring and summer grazing, when forage quality is high) or feed a 2 to 3 lb per head feeding rate during the fall and winter.

Transition refers to the time before estimated due date. This commonly starts at 3 weeks out from calving, and technically extends to 30 days in milk. This is my protocol.

1) stop salt access, as it increases the chance of edema.

2) feed either a high fiber, grassy hay or have her graze similar.

3) feed 3 lbs a day of our parlor grain (18 percent protein)

4) top dress with the negative DCAD Soy Chlor

Five to seven days prior to delivery her appetite will drop. If it is significant I give B Complex.

On this protocol I see very little metabolic problems. However I always give Bovikalc to…

A) an assisted birth

B) twins

C) a cow with a known history for metabolic problems (milk fever, metritis, ketosis)

Should she go down, IV calcium is the only way to get her back up.

A cow that has had milk fever typically never reaches her full potential in milk volume for that lactation.

Milk Fever – Prevention and treatment By Juliette Albrecht Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Where can I get raw milk or get help to sell mine?

There is definitely a faction of the population trying to get raw milk for their pets and family. There are also many folks trying to provide this to their community and both are struggling to make the connections.

Here are two links that can help you get to the source or get listed as a source.

https://getrawmilk.com

Raw Milk Finder

I would also have you check with your local and state laws to make sure that you are in compliance with them. Each state is different, with more and more changes coming down the pike. Be prepared if you are providing it for folks to just show up, for many phone calls and emails..the movement is in full swing.

Dexters provide a rich and creamy milk preferred by many! Happy milking!

Where can I get raw milk or get help to sell mine? Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Dexter Milk

Written by Riley Wohlgemuth of Bar Dubya Ranch

Over the last week, I’ve dedicated part of my daily life to training Marieke to milk… We weaned her 10 month old bull calf and separated them so that she could begin to recover some condition. For the previous two months, I have been casually working on her haltering and handling in preparation for this moment…

As always, it takes some adjustment and determination to get into a routine, to be mindful of my actions and responses when training a cow, and just overall persistence despite the odds. Once separated from Connor, Marieke became a little waspy with milking while standing freely, so I quickly decided to start tying her up while I milked for both of our safety.

Milking is not easy. It’s a chore. It requires consistency (after the calf is weaned), determination, patience, and a lot of grace.

But… it’s amazing. To work with a cow and receive raw milk. It is an amazing thing to be able to provide your own milk… to know exactly what goes onto it, where it’s coming from, and get the cow kisses while you’re at it.

The other thing apart from feeding ourselves that brings me so much joy… is the connection to the community, providing the connection to their food that so many are craving. We don’t currently sell our milk as we are still trying to find our own rhythm, a place to purchase, and some other variables which just make that out of reach right now…

A couple of days ago, a neighbor requested to try some of our milk. Her toddler absolutely cannot have cow milk (not even the lactose-free), a sip of it will send her into tummy aches and throwing up within 30 minutes. Her little girl could drink our Dexter milk! Absolutely zero issues. So neat!!

Then, today, we milked Marieke this morning. Getting a full, creamy half gallon jar of delicious raw milk to take home. We decided to stop at a Christmas tree farm on the way home and one of the employees pointed out our lariat rope, which turned into conversation about roping, and then cattle… did we raise any, what do we use them for, etc. We raise our cattle for milk and beef. My husband pulled out the jar of raw milk to show them and they were so fascinated and intrigued! So we offered for them to have a little sip. We have so much at home that it wasn’t too terrible a loss to sacrifice some milk for the sake of curiosity.

They were amazed! At the flavor, the texture, remarking on its creamy sweetness and how the flavor lingered on their tongues. Then there were immediate questions about did we sell, could they buy, etc. The excitement, the chattering. It made me so happy to provide that experience and connection to them!

Farming is difficult, but so rewarding… for ourselves, for the connections we cultivate with friends and strangers, to nature and God’s provision for us… We are feeling extra grateful this season.

God bless and happy holidays!! 🥰❤️

Dexter Milk Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Getting Dexters is like eating chips, you can’t just have one!!! Written By Shelley Hatfield Whippoorwill Pines Farm

I kinda want to go back to the beginning.  We are getting several new Dexter owners and several people asking questions.  So I will post some articles on getting started.   These articles aren’t necessarily directed to Dexter cattle in particular, but the basics are the same.  
 First of all, you do need to decide what you are wanting to do with your Dexters.  Since they are a dual purpose breed,  you need to decide the most important thing you are wanting out of these cattle.  I’m not saying this has to be forever, but you do need to decide what your main goal is for raising these cattle.  Then you can go from there later on.  Secondly, you need to decide what your property will hold.  This is VERY important.  In this you need to decide which direction your farm is going,  grass fed, mostly grass fed with some grain, or grain fed.  It may seem overwhelming at first, but just take one thing at a time.  You can change your mind as you go and see what works for your farm and what doesn’t.  Don’t get overwhelmed!! 
 Next a good water source will be needed.  Either by running lines, running hoses, putting in automatic waterers.  Cows need a good grass source and good clean water.  Some people let their cows use their ponds.  That is fine as long as the pond doesn’t have a run off.  Cows can also damage a pond by pushing in the dirt as they stand in it and filling it back up.  Unless you have a deep pond.  
 Another thing that I have found to be very important is to have ample equipment for holding them.  You need a good chute.  It doesn’t always have to be a fancy set up.  If you can afford one that is great, but you need a good head chute. You can make an alley way to it with panels or fencing.  A good head chute is vital to being able to inspect or service your cattle.  
 A good mentor is very very helpful!!!  Find someone who has raised cattle, particularly Dexters and learn everything you can from them.  Our website will be very helpful in that area.  You can find other Dexter owners.  We also have lots of information that is helpful, in several different areas.  

Getting Dexters is like eating chips, you can’t just have one!!! Written By Shelley Hatfield Whippoorwill Pines Farm Read More »

Beef

Are cows the new insulin producers?

Excerpt from Veterinarian To Be on Facebook

Scientists created a genetically engineered cow that produces human insulin in its milk:

 Currently, diabetics rely on insulin synthesized in bacteria within complex laboratory settings.

 The new method harnesses the cow’s natural milk-production capabilities as a biological factory for human proinsulin, the precursor to insulin. Surprisingly, the cow’s mammary gland even performed the conversion to active insulin. 

This proof-of-concept study demonstrated the remarkable potential for transgenic cows to produce massive quantities of insulin. The researchers inserted a segment of human DNA responsible for proinsulin production into cow embryos.  The resulting transgenic calf demonstrated the ability to secrete both human proinsulin and insulin in its milk. 

A single liter of milk contains enough insulin that could meet the needs for a diabetic patient for several years. 

Researchers envision a future where relatively small herds of these special cows could drastically lower insulin production costs and potentially meet global demand. 

Unlike current bacterial production methods, this approach wouldn’t require sophisticated facilities. While further research and regulatory approvals are needed, the scientists are optimistic. This development could herald a new era of insulin availability, making this life-saving medication a reality for all diabetics, regardless of location or income.

Are cows the new insulin producers? Read More »

Milking & Dairy

Growing my business with GrownBY

By Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm

I have had a small soap business for years.  It has been a very manual order process. So, when someone was needed to test the GrownBy site for the next phase of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen website, I decided it was time for me to have an easier way to order.  It also gave me the added benefits of being able to sell my Irish Dexter cattle and Nubian goats without having to set up my own website.  Everything in one place, with no knowledge of set up or having to maintain my own website.
Well I have to tell you….this has been a most enjoyable experience.  From the ease of using the site, to the help that is available from the GrownBy team at the drop of a hat.  I can edit, add or remove things with little effort.  But the really exciting thing was having metrics to be able to see if the site was working for me.  The first time I checked how many had clicked on my site it said 163…WOW! I started working on my site in May and had yet to check the metrics out.  I shared it on my FB page and on the IDC site once, well maybe twice and boom a week later 193 visits.  The other notable is that my order size increased.   Not by a little, a lot!  We are still working on GrownBY handling the shipping component, but the problem is at my end, not theirs,  everything has to be weighed and then the zip code has to be taken into consideration.  The work around is pick up at farm and handling the shipping afterward…or adding to the price the average shipping…but I’m working on that.
The long and short of it is, not only is the site working for me for selling my soaps and shampoos.  It provides an easy link for my customers to go to and see what I have available …and helps me with driving what needs to be made and stocked. And maybe they will consider some of the adorable bucks we have currently for sale!
I didn’t need to learn another language or program, all I had to do was share it, so people know where to look. 
Another added benefit is, you can see other farms in your area …that you might want to visit or buy from.  It’s farmers!  Yup, farmers, you are working with other farmers.  So if you have a soap business like me, or just a few animals to sell, or a CSA, you really should check it out.
I hope you have the same experience as I have had….now off to make another soap and build that inventory.

Check out my new online e-commerce store https://grownby.app/farms/stay-n-put-farm/shop

Growing my business with GrownBY Read More »

Selling

Selling Dexters by Sue Pollington

There is this thing that happens when you have Dexter cattle and really any kind of cows. It’s called cow math. The cows just keep multiplying and it’s all your fault.

In my Dexter journey this happens 2 ways. I got my fist Dexter cow, she had her yearling steer by her side and was pregnant. I thought cool, 3 for the price of one. Who doesn’t love a sale?

The new calf was born, another steer (not at birth but after a bit (was removed)). I know I’d have 3, but I didn’t know how much I would love being a milkmaid. I loved milking, processing the milk, and making all the fabulous dairy products. When the calf was weaned, my avocation as a milkmaid did too. No more dairy goodies and now I knew what real dairy was and I couldn’t bear to buy the junk stores have and call dairy.

I bought a second Dexter Milk Cow, with a steer by her side so I could milk year round with Spring and Fall calves. Now there were 5 cows. One steer went to freezer came and I was down to 4. Good for me. But then the new heifer calf was born and we were back up to 5.

Here I became foolish and bought a 3rd Dexter milkcow for emotional reasons. ( I did not need a 3rd Dexter Milk cow) She did not come with a calf at her side hooray. So, we were up to 6, I sold the heifer calf and we were down to 5. The new cow had a heifer calf and we were back up to 6.

It’s all my fault. I bred the cows, bought the cows. I will sell the new heifer calf and be back down to 5 but I have 2 calves due this Spring, but I will send another steer to freezer camp next month so I will stay at 6 until the 2025 Fall calf will make it 7 unless I sell 1 or both Spring calves.

Cow Math is real. So you will have to consider how you want to manage your herd size.

Sue Pollington

Selling Dexters by Sue Pollington Read More »

Farm Management Selling

Lammers family bucks trend of milking more cows

David and Katy have advice for young farmers thinking about starting farming: “Do your homework and don’t get discouraged if someone tells you it can’t be done — persevere.”https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-operations/lammers-family-bucks-trend-milking-more-cows?NL=WFP-01&Issue=WFP-01_20220714_WFP-01_863&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_4_3&utm_rid=CPG02000008134788&utm_campaign=69183&utm_medium=email&elq2=a797ce927b184deca01e4b5b58839398&sp_eh=fa4c5a9f6558e8315d03961b48ed51c472abd90080ea57a89515bab2aa8a9023

Lammers family bucks trend of milking more cows Read More »

Milking & Dairy
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